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​​​​Touch of Wymsy​

Was the egg really hatching? No one had seen a dragon in a long time, let alone be there for the hatching. Acorn and Dragonia stood and watched in awe as the golden egg started to glow and shine within the ring of stones.

“Is it supposed to do that?” asked Acorn.

“How would I know?” snapped the Baroness. “It’s not like I have done this before.”

Suddenly a bright flash filled the cave, temporarily blinding both of the spectators. When their eyes stopped watering and they could see, they gasped in astonishment. Before them was a baby dragon surrounded by the changed nest stones. Each stone had been drained of color and were now crystal clear. The baby dragon stared at the two and immediately both Acorn and Dragonia heard a small clear voice in their heads. The dragon stared at the Baroness and just asked “Mom?” then at Acorn who heard a different question “Friend?”

Too surprised to speak, they both only nodded their heads yes.

Soon the shock began to wear off and Acorn had his old snarky self back. “So, what is it’s name?” he asked Dragonia. This time the hatchling did not respond but only looked at the two.

“I think he wants us to name him,” she replied. The dragon nodded his head affirmatively.

​On his way to the caves Acorn, for not the last time, wondered what was causing the feeling he had. What could be pulling at him that was making him feel so itchy? “Why did it just start?” he asked out loud, but since no one else was around, he did not get an answer.

​​Following the trail to the end of the woods he started to leave the protection of the trees. He had made this trip several times, but he always was a little hesitant to enter the open area outside of the village.

​​As he skirted around the town to reach the caves, he saw Gardner working in his garden and Ember, the Apprentice, heading towards some errand that Granny Flare had probably given her. Normally he would have stopped to talk, but not today. The ‘itch’ was driving him crazy and as he grew nearer the caves, it felt stronger, but why?

​I think I will look in the caves first and if I don’t find something, then I will go talk with the fish. He was trying not to have to talk to them anyhow since fish usually are boring conversationalist. They always want to talk about worms, algae, and school. “Never seen anybody who loves school as much as the fish do,” thought Acorn.

​As he entered the caves, he was still thinking about the fish and how he didn’t really want to visit with them if he did not find anything here. Thus distracted, he did not notice the movement from inside of the cave, but a sound did reach his ears. It was a scrapping type of noise, like claws scratching on stone. As he approached the spot where he thought he heard the noise someone stepped out of the darkness behind him and cleared their throat.

​“Ahem… and what can I do for you?”

Acorn, quickly recovering from discovering that someone was able to sneak up on him (that was his special skill he thought) flew up into the air several feet and turned to see who spoke. “And you are?” he asked.

​“I am the Baroness Dragonia, and you are…?” she said, placing a pause at the end of her question as if she was waiting for him to finish it.

Regaining his impish demeanor, Acorn replied, “a Fae with questions”. There, that should confuse her. “And, why would a baroness be in a dark cave on such a beautiful day? What is here that would take you away from your mansion?”

​The Baroness looked at Acorn for a minute without saying anything. Finally, after apparently making some decision, she spoke asking again to Acorn, “Why are you here?”

“I came because Tad said the fish were talking about something strange happening at the caves and I need to find out why I am being pulled here,” replied Acorn.

The Baroness raised an eyebrow and smiled. “You are here to help me I am thinking. There is something magical happening within these caves and I will need your assistance.”

Walking deeper into the cave, they finally came to a small opening leading into another chamber. A light inside would brighten and then dim, brighten and dim, a steady repetition. Dragonia stopped outside of the opening and looked at Acorn one more time before stepping inside of the smaller cave. “Acorn, I need your help as this is more than I can handle on my own. I discovered it by accident and now it seems to be coming alive.”

​As Acorn entered the opening he could see deeper into the chamber and saw nestled in a pile of stones a Dragon’s egg! And it was hatching!

Acorn had nothing to say. His tongue was frozen in place and his heart nearly stopped. “It is a… a… dragon ‘s egg” he finally was able to stammer. The ‘itch’ was burning furiously between his wings – he had found the reason and was now not sure if he had made a mistake in finding it.

Something big was going to happen. Acorn could feel it in his wings. It was the type of feeling that makes one shiver and itch. An itch that can't be reached that drives one crazy trying to find some way to scratch it. The problem was that it couldn't be scratched with rubbing up on a tree or even using a branch.

Now Acorn is an easy going type of Fae and loves living in his woods. He is familiar with all the creatures... from the buggle beetle to the bushy tail squirrels and even a tree frog or two. Of course he knows that he has a reputation of having a kinda of impish personality, but can he help it if others take his "I am thinking" look to mean something more?

Acorn is hooked on this feeling! Something is stirring the air of magic around him! These tingling feelings have to be investigated. He has avoided some sticky situations in the past because he didn't ignore them. Acorn reaches for his vest and puts on his shoes. Even though the shoes might have a hole or two in them, they will hold up for the adventure he is setting out on. Placing his acorn hat on his head and then securing his bag of "necessities", he starts out to search for what is pulling at him. The little knoll that hid his house is soon left behind as he sets out to see who else might be feeling this "itchy" feeling in the air.

At the edge of the forest Acorn spotted Tad, a tree frog, on his favorite hangout, a mushroom. "Hi Tad. How's it hopping?" asked Acorn.

"No frog jokes Acorn."

"Come'on Tad - pull yourself off of that mushroom and talk to me."

"Don't you have somewhere to go Acorn?"

"That's why I am here to ask you if you have been getting an 'itchy' feeling pulling you somewhere?"

​"No. I haven't been doing anything but sunning myself here on my favorite spot. I have heard that the fish are avoiding the pond by the caves though. Something about some kinda of ripping affect going on there they tell me."

"Thanks Tad."

"I wonder if what I am looking for is at the caves?" muses Acorn. "I think I will head that way..."

I so often say that my dolls take on a life of their own. The process is a multiple layering effect.

Again, as it frequently does, it starts out with an inspiration that I use when creating the head in clay. This is where the 2-D (dimensional) artist still lives. I work in a wet clay that allows me to use water and a brush to smooth and make strokes in the clay as I sculpt. Often I tell myself I am painting in grey (or is it clay... smiling).

Once the head is in a mold then it goes into its next layer of discovery. As I perfect my technique, I do not need to spend as much time here as I did in the past. In the past, I would get to this layer and see things I didn't see in the clay. It has been the death of many a doll, as I couldn't continue with what I saw, and I had to start all over. Martin Short, the comedian actor in a TV interview, said we must all have a back- up plan because even in his comedy presentations, things don't necessarily always work out the way he had originally planned. I think this is true of any artist. The willingness to start again in perfecting our art is what sets a Master Artist apart.

The final layer is where the doll has made it past the cleaning phase and into bisque and paint. Even here, many of my dolls express their own opinions in the creative process, which is the fun for me. After all, who really likes playing alone? This is where it is nice to have several back-up plans (or supplies in my case). Here is where my Huckaberry inspiration turned to Acorn as the red headed little fae said nope... that isn't who he wanted to be. He was going to be blue eyed and very blonde and he reminded me I had a special little cap already made for him.

​So that little impish - know it all - type of smile is Acorn's way of saying I told you so!

Author

Welcome to my blog. This is where I will reveal the magic of my Fae and their stories and share with you some of the success and pitfalls through the journey of doll making, sculpting, and other crafts that all come back to my dolls in many ways.

May you find some small treasure that will enhance your world...welcome to mine.